Phys.org: Phys.org news tagged with: plastic wastehttp://phys.org/
en-usPhys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine.Students launch desktop recycler that turns pop bottles into 3D printer plasticThree engineering physics students at the University of British Columbia have developed a desktop plastic recycler and extruder that turns plastic waste into the material needed for 3D printing.http://phys.org/news344851097.html
TechnologyFri, 06 Mar 2015 07:58:36 EDTnews344851097Eight million tons: Researchers calculate the magnitude of plastic waste going into the oceanA plastic grocery bag cartwheels down the beach until a gust of wind spins it into the ocean. In 192 coastal countries, this scenario plays out over and over again as discarded beverage bottles, food wrappers, toys and other bits of plastic make their way from estuaries, seashores and uncontrolled landfills to settle in the world's seas.http://phys.org/news342971701.html
EarthThu, 12 Feb 2015 14:00:06 EDTnews342971701Study reveals abundance of microplastics in the world's deep seasThe deep sea is becoming a collecting ground for plastic waste, according to research led by scientists from Plymouth University and Natural History Museum.http://phys.org/news337975957.html
EarthTue, 16 Dec 2014 19:00:01 EDTnews337975957Researchers develop sustainable concrete using plastic waste as a partial replacement for sandAcademics from the University of Bath are collaborating with Indian researchers in a two-year project to create environmentally-friendly concrete that uses plastic waste as a partial replacement for sand.http://phys.org/news335092298.html
TechnologyThu, 13 Nov 2014 09:11:52 EDTnews335092298The Malaspina Expedition confirms that pollution reaches even the most remote areas of the oceanThree years after the Hesperides vessel returned to Spain culminating the around the world of the Malaspina Expedition, researchers have an increasingly clear picture of how the global ocean works and what is its health condition. Specifically, the input of pollutants from the atmosphere is not limited to coastal areas, but also occurs in the most remote areas of the planet, and it is already affecting the ocean ecosystem.http://phys.org/news330095428.html
EarthTue, 16 Sep 2014 14:10:37 EDTnews330095428Ridding the sea and land from toxic plastics fragmentsPlastic products made of PVC, Polystyrene and other prominent plastics are flooding the market. They are a growing threat to the environment, as they are found in the sea or dumped in land fills. But in a few years, there may be ways of tackling this worrying trend. BioClean, an EU-sponsored research project, due to be completed in 2015, is sparing no effort to find ways of reducing the impact of non-biodegradable plastics in the environment.http://phys.org/news329638437.html
ChemistryThu, 11 Sep 2014 07:14:07 EDTnews329638437The fluorescent fingerprint of plasticsLMU researchers have developed a new process which will greatly simplify the process of sorting plastics in recycling plants. The method enables automated identification of polymers, facilitating rapid separation of plastics for re-use.http://phys.org/news327847496.html
ChemistryThu, 21 Aug 2014 13:45:07 EDTnews327847496Romanian city opens plastic bottle bridge in litter protestTimisoara in western Romania on Wednesday inaugurated a 23-metre (75 feet) bridge made of more than 157,000 collected plastic bottles to warn against the devastating effects of litter.http://phys.org/news325352329.html
EarthWed, 23 Jul 2014 17:00:02 EDTnews325352329Leading scientists express rising concern about 'microplastics' in the oceanMicroplastics – microscopic particles of plastic debris – are of increasing concern because of their widespread presence in the oceans and the potential physical and toxicological risks they pose to organisms.http://phys.org/news324224963.html
EarthThu, 10 Jul 2014 15:29:38 EDTnews324224963Dutch teen targets Pacific Ocean 'plastic soup' menaceDutch student Boyan Slat is only 19 years old, but he already has 100 people working on his revolutionary plan to scoop thousands of tonnes of damaging plastics from the oceans.http://phys.org/news324134578.html
EarthWed, 09 Jul 2014 14:23:10 EDTnews324134578All the world's oceans have plastic debris on their surfaceThe Malaspina Expedition, led by the Spanish National Research Council, have demonstrated that there are five large accumulations of plastic debris in the open ocean that match with the five major twists of oceanic surface water circulation. In addition to the known accumulation of plastic waste in the North Pacific, there are similar accumulations in the central North Atlantic, the South Pacific, the South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean.http://phys.org/news323358674.html
EarthMon, 30 Jun 2014 15:00:01 EDTnews323358674Plastic tide 'causing $13 bn in damage', UN saysThe dumping of plastic waste into the world's oceans is causing at least $13 billion a year of damage, threatening marine life, tourism and fisheries, the United Nations warned Monday at the launch of a global environment conference.http://phys.org/news322728764.html
EarthMon, 23 Jun 2014 07:52:55 EDTnews322728764Researcher invents continuous, zero-toxic-emission system that converts nonrecycled plastics into crude oilPlastic is becoming a major problem worldwide: In 2012, the United States alone produced roughly 32 million tons of plastic waste, while only recycling about 9 percent of its plastic, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.http://phys.org/news322469473.html
TechnologyFri, 20 Jun 2014 08:40:03 EDTnews322469473Shoppers favour plastic bagsMalaysia's No Plastic Bag Saturday policy has had minimal effect on the amount of plastic waste going to landfills, according to new research.http://phys.org/news315737507.html
EarthThu, 03 Apr 2014 09:51:59 EDTnews315737507Urban bees using plastic to build hivesOnce the snow melts, Canada's bee population will be back in business—pollinating, making honey and keeping busy doing bee things. For at least two urban bee species, that means making nests out of plastic waste.http://phys.org/news311347020.html
BiologyTue, 11 Feb 2014 13:17:12 EDTnews311347020Converting polyethylene waste into liquid fuelResearchers in India have developed a relatively low-temperature process to convert certain kinds of plastic waste into liquid fuel as a way to re-use discarded plastic bags and other products. They report full details next month in the International Journal of Environment and Waste Management.http://phys.org/news310048022.html
ChemistryMon, 27 Jan 2014 12:27:11 EDTnews310048022A mark of trust for plastics recyclersThe EU project EUCERTPLAST ('European certification of plastics recyclers') has developed a common certification scheme for post-consumer plastics recycling in Europe.http://phys.org/news301563723.html
ChemistryMon, 21 Oct 2013 09:40:02 EDTnews301563723Civil engineers using recycled plastic pins to shore up failing highway slopesA UT Arlington civil engineering researcher has won a $1 million state transportation department grant to install pins made from reclaimed and recycled plastic along some of the region's busiest highways to shore up clay soils that support the roads.http://phys.org/news297081067.html
TechnologyFri, 30 Aug 2013 11:31:15 EDTnews297081067Sorting plastic waste: A magnetic gameMore than one third of the total plastic production in Europe—about 14 million tonnes per year—are polyolefins, also known as polyalkenes. This is a family of polymers used for the manufacture of a variety of products, mainly bottles for water and soft drinks, and food packaging. The problem with polyolefins is that the material is not biodegradable, and can only be recycled into new plastics product when the waste is available in pure form.http://phys.org/news290435674.html
ChemistryFri, 14 Jun 2013 13:34:43 EDTnews290435674Scientists call for action on plastic wasteScientists from around the world have called for laws to tackle the growing problem of plastic waste.http://phys.org/news279995609.html
EarthWed, 13 Feb 2013 16:33:48 EDTnews279995609100% of most challenging Christmas plastic wrapping could be recycled by new tech(PhysOrg.com) -- On average we each consume 120 grammes of plastic wrapping on Christmas gifts most of which is of a type which almost impossible to recycle. Now researchers at the University of Warwick have devised a new technique which could process 100% of Christmas and other household plastic instead of the tiny fraction that currently actually gets processed - typically only 12% of such waste is truly recycled often the rest is often put into land fill or simply burnt as fuel.http://phys.org/news211476146.html
ChemistryMon, 13 Dec 2010 15:40:01 EDTnews211476146Transforming waste plastic into an alternative fuel(PhysOrg.com) -- Northeastern engineering students and faculty researcher collaborate on prototype of apparatus that could drive electric power plants without fossil fuels.http://phys.org/news192736676.html
TechnologyMon, 10 May 2010 18:58:27 EDTnews192736676